JPH0611160B2 - Incoming call selection method by priority - Google Patents

Description

Description: (a) Technical Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a switching network, and more particularly to an incoming call selection method according to a priority that allows an incoming call subscriber to select an incoming call and answer the incoming call.

(b) Background of the technology In the current telephone switching network, since the telephone is accommodated by only one set of information channels that transmit information such as voice, the types of control signals transmitted from the telephone switching network to the telephone are It was extremely limited. However, in recent years, the telephone switching network has been digitized all the way to the terminal equipment and accommodates non-telephone type terminal equipment as well. In such a switching network, the terminal equipment has an information channel for transmitting information such as voice and data. In addition, a signal channel for transmitting various exchange control signals such as a calling signal and a selection signal can be provided side by side. This kind of signaling channel not only increases the types of exchange control signals transmitted and received between the terminal device and the switching network, for example, transmitting the number of the calling terminal device to the receiving terminal device, but also via the switching network. Various information (hereinafter collectively referred to as inter-terminal information) can be transmitted and received between the connected terminal devices. The exchange network can transmit the inter-terminal information transmitted as a part of the control signal from one terminal device to the other terminal device without any processing. (c) Conventional technology and problems In the conventional telephone switching network, information can be exchanged between terminal devices only through the information channel.
The information on the calling subscriber is transmitted from the calling telephone to the called telephone.
It could only be done after the information channel was completed. Therefore, there is no choice but to display the incoming call, such as ringing the ringing bell, uniformly on all incoming calls on the receiving side telephone. For this reason, there is a drawback in that the called subscriber cannot select and answer only the particularly urgent incoming call even when he / she is busy.

(d) Object of the invention The object of the present invention is to enable the selection of an incoming call before answering, which is not possible in the conventional telephone switching network, and to allow the incoming subscriber to select the incoming call and answer it. To realize.

(e) Structure of the invention According to the present invention, the terminal device is connected to a switching network via an information channel and a signal channel, and information between terminals via the signal channel is transmitted without change in the switching network. In the configuration described above, priority selection means for selecting one from a plurality of priorities for selecting an incoming call, reference priority setting means for setting the selected priority as a reference priority, and between terminals when receiving a call. When the transmission priority included in the information is received and compared with the reference priority, if the transmission priority is equal to or higher than the reference priority, the ringing tone generator is activated to send out the ringing tone and the ringing signal is sent to the switching network. When the outgoing call priority is lower than the reference priority, the signal tone generator is not activated, and the incoming call according to the priority is provided with a priority comparison and detection means for sending a restoration signal to the switching network. Depending on the selection method Will be achieved.

That is, according to the present invention, since the receiving terminal device displays the incoming call only for the call designated by the calling subscriber with a priority higher than the reference priority selected in advance, the called subscriber can selectively respond. Become. In addition, even for a call displaying an incoming call, the priority of the incoming call can be more clearly indicated to the called subscriber by distinguishing the incoming call display, for example, by changing the tone color of the ringing tone according to the priority. It will be possible. Further, when the terminal device has a function of recording up to a predetermined number of unanswered incoming calls,
It is also possible to record sequentially from the call with the highest priority.

(f) Embodiment of the Invention One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a switching network to which the present invention is applied, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a telephone terminal device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a processing procedure of an incoming call selection method according to the priority according to FIG. 4, FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a signal transmission process in FIG. 1, and FIG. 5 is another signal transmission process in FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the signal format in FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. The same reference numerals denote the same objects throughout the drawings.

In FIG. 1, the information channel B1 or B, respectively.
2 and the signaling channel D1 or D2, the switching network SN
Telephone terminals T1 and T2 housed in are shown. An example of the configuration of each telephone terminal device T1 and T2 is the second
As shown in the figure. In FIG. 2, parts other than those related to the present invention are omitted. In FIG. 2, the digital voice information transmitted from the switching network SN (FIG. 1) via the information channel B1 or B2 and the control signal transmitted via the signal channel D1 or D2 are processed by the decomposing unit DS. Each of them is separated and the digital audio information is converted into analog audio information by the decoding circuit DEC, and then transmitted to the handset TR or the speaker SP via the analog circuit ACT, and the control signal is transmitted to the transmission control unit TC.
Is transmitted to the main control unit CPU via. On the other hand, handset T
The analog voice information transmitted from R through the analog circuit ACT is converted into digital voice information by the coding circuit COD and then transmitted to the assembling unit AS, and the main control unit CP.
The digital voice information is combined with the control signal generated by the transmission control unit TC according to an instruction from U, and the digital voice information is transmitted through the information channel B1.
Or via B2 and the control signal is signal channel D
It is transmitted to the switching network SN via 1 or D2. Further, the main control unit CPU controls each unit in the telephone terminal device, and is given a priority higher than the reference priority selected by the subscriber from a plurality of priorities by the process shown in FIG. A means for displaying an incoming call only for an incoming call is realized. The main storage device MEM stores a program and data to be executed by the main control device CPU, and a storage area M1 for storing a preselected reference priority Pr.
A storage area M2 for recording the calling number of an unanswered call and the like is provided.

The subscriber of the telephone terminal device T2 has three types of transmission priority Ps = 1, 2 for the subscriber who makes a call to the telephone terminal device T2.
And 3 (1 is the highest and 3 is the lowest) are requested to be used, and one (for example, 2) of the three types of transmission priorities Ps is selected as the reference priority Pr. The selection of the reference priority Pr = 2 makes it possible to display the incoming call priority Ps = 1 and 2 for the designated call. When prohibiting the display of all incoming calls, the reference priority Pr = 4 is selected. Subscriber who has selected the reference priority Pr = 2, the priority priority designation button PRI of the telephone terminal T ₂ as a selection means, # and 2 in number buttons DK, further sequentially operating the priority designation button PRI. The main control device CPU having a function as a reference priority setting means detects the operation of the priority designation button PRI and the numeric button DK via the input / output control unit IOC, and the numeric value is stored in the storage area M1 in the main storage device MEM. The value 2 input from the button DK is stored as the reference priority Pr.

In this state, in order for the subscriber of the telephone terminal device T1 to communicate with the telephone terminal device T2, the handset T of the telephone terminal device T1
After raising R or operating the send button ORG,
After inputting the telephone number of the telephone terminal device T2 with the number buttons DK, and further inputting the transmission priority Ps (eg 2) requested by the subscriber of the telephone terminal device T2 with the number buttons DK (eg # 2), Operate the send button SND. The main control unit CPU sends a call button ORG, a numeric button DK and a send button S via the input / output control unit IOC.
The ND operation is detected, and the call setting signal SU (FIG. 6) including the telephone number of the telephone terminal device T2 as the called number DA and the transmission priority Ps = 2 as the inter-terminal information UI is generated,
The switching network S is sent to the transmission control unit TC via the signal channel D1.
To N (FIG. 4 and so on). The switching network SN is
The terminal device T ₂ is selected on the basis of the called number DA included in the received call setting signal SU, the telephone number of the telephone terminal device T1 is set as the calling number OA, and the terminal number received from the telephone terminal device T1 is set as the inter-terminal information UI. Generate a call setting signal SU including the information UI (that is, the transmission priority Ps = 2).
The signal is transmitted to the telephone terminal device T2 via the signal channel D2. In the telephone terminal device T2, the main control device CPU having a function as a priority comparison / detection means has the transmission control unit T.
The transmission priority Ps = 2 included as the inter-terminal information UI in the call setting signal SU received via C is extracted, and the reference priority P stored in the storage area M1 in the main storage device MEM is extracted.
r = 2 is compared (step S1 in FIG. 3). If the call setting signal SU does not include the transmission priority as the terminal information UI, it is regarded as the lowest transmission priority Ps = 3. As a result of the comparison, it is identified that the transmission priority Ps is the same as the reference priority Pr, and the transmission controller TC transmits the ringing signal ALT to the switching network SN via the signal channel D2 (step S2). A signal for transmitting the ringing signal sound RGT of the tone color corresponding to the transmission priority Ps is transmitted to the signal sound generation unit TNG (step S3). Upon receiving the signal, the signal tone generator TNG sends out the ringing signal tone RGT of the designated tone color from the acoustic device SD. When the subscriber who hears the ringing tone RGT responds (step S4), the main controller CP
U causes the transmission control unit TC to transmit the response signal CNN to the switching network SN via the signal channel D2 (step S
5). The switching network SN which has received the response signal CNN transmits the response confirmation signal CAK to the telephone terminal device T2 and also transmits the response signal CNN to the telephone terminal device T1 to start communication (step S6).

Next, in FIG. 5, the busy subscriber of the telephone terminal device T2 selects the reference priority Pr = 1, and by the same operation as described above, the reference priority Pr = is stored in the storage area M1 in the main memory MEM. Stores 1. In such a state, the telephone terminal device T
When a subscriber of No. 1 makes a call to the terminal device 2 in the same process as described above, in the telephone terminal device T2, the main control device CPU having a function as a priority comparison / detection means receives it via the transmission control unit TC. Information U between terminals is added to the call setting signal SU.
The transmission priority Ps = 2 included as I is extracted and compared with the reference priority Pr = 1 stored in the storage area M1 in the main memory MEM (step S1 in FIG. 3). If it is identified that the transmission priority Ps is lower than the reference priority Pr as a result of the comparison, the ringing tone R for the signal tone generator TNG is identified.
The transmission instruction of the GT is not issued, and the restoration signal R is sent to the transmission control unit TC.
The LS is transmitted to the switching network SN via the signal channel D2 (step S7). Therefore, the subscriber of the telephone terminal device T2 does not know the incoming call from the terminal device 1. When the switching network SN receives the restoration signal RLS transmitted via the signal channel D2, it returns a restoration confirmation signal RAK to the telephone terminal device T2 via the signal channel D2, and also calls via the signal channel D1. Disconnection signal D to terminal device T1
Transmit ISC. Upon receiving the disconnection signal DISC, the telephone terminal device T1 returns a busy tone BT to the subscriber, and also transmits a restoration signal RLS to the switching network SN via the signal channel D1. The switching network SN which has received the restoration signal RLS returns the restoration confirmation signal RAK to the telephone terminal device T1 via the signal channel D1. In the telephone terminal device T2, the main control device CPU causes the disconnection signal DI via the transmission control unit TC.
When the SC or the recovery confirmation signal RAK is received (step S8 or S8 '), the storage area 2 in the main storage device MEM
It is checked whether or not the area pointed to by the pointer PT is empty (step S8), and if the area is empty, the calling number OA and the calling priority Ps = 2 extracted from the call setting signal SU are written. After that, the pointer PT is updated (steps S10 and S11). If the area is blocked, the outgoing call priority Psi of the unanswered call recorded in the area is compared with the outgoing call priority Ps = 2 extracted from the call setting signal SU (step S12), and the outgoing call priority is calculated. If Psi is lower than 2, the calling number O extracted from the call setting signal SU in the area
A and the transmission priority Ps = 2 are recorded, and the transmission priority Psi is recorded.
If 2 is 2 or more, the pointer PT is updated (step S
13) Attempt the same process in the next area. When the number of updates reaches the maximum value (for example, 4) (step S1
4) It is identified that no call having a calling priority lower than 2 is recorded in the memory area M2, and the non-answer record of the incoming call from the telephone terminal device T1 is given up. When the subscriber of the terminal device T ₂ later identifies that the record display ML indicating that there is a record of the unanswered call is displayed on the telephone terminal T ₂ and operates the display button IND, the main control device CPU operates The calling number O stored in the storage area M2 in the storage device MEM
A1 to OA4 are sequentially extracted and displayed on the display unit DSP. As described above, the subscriber of the telephone terminal device T2 can know the calling numbers OA1 to OA4 of the unanswered call.

As is clear from the above description, according to the present embodiment, the subscriber of the telephone terminal device T2 selects the required reference priority Pr for the telephone terminal device T2, and thereby the reference priority P
It is possible to respond only to an incoming call designated with a transmission priority Ps of r or higher.

It should be noted that FIGS. 1 to 6 are merely examples of the present invention until now, and the configurations of the telephone terminal devices T1 and T2 are not limited to those shown in the drawings, and many other modifications are possible. Although considered, the effect of the present invention does not change in any case. Further, the signal sound generation unit TNG is not limited to the one that outputs different ringing signal sounds RGT depending on the transmission priority Ps, and the effect of the present invention does not change even when the same ringing signal sound RGT is transmitted. In addition, the unanswered calls recorded in the storage area M2 are not limited to those having the highest outgoing call priority Ps, and it is considered that the newest call is recorded regardless of the outgoing call priority Ps. The effect of does not change. Further, the object of the present invention is not limited to the telephone terminal device as shown in the figure, and the effect of the present invention is also obtained in the case of a complex terminal device connected to the switching network SN by a plurality of information channels B and signal channels D. does not change.

(g) Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, the called subscriber can identify the priority of the incoming call before answering, and select and respond according to the priority. It becomes feasible.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a switching network to which the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a telephone terminal device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a processing procedure of an incoming call selection system according to a priority according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a signal transmission procedure in FIG. 1, and FIG. 5 is another diagram in FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the signal transmission process of FIG.
It is a figure which illustrates the signal format in a figure. In the figure, ACT is an analog circuit, ALT is a ringing signal, AS is an assembling unit, B1 and B2 are information channels, and C.
AK is a response confirmation signal, COD is a code circuit, CNN is a response signal, CPU is a main control unit, D1 and D2 are signal channels, DA is a called number, DEC is a decoding circuit, DISC is a disconnection signal, DK is a numeric button, and DS. Is a disassembly unit, DSP is a display unit, IND is a display button, IOC is an input / output control unit,
M1 and M2 are storage areas, MEM is main memory, ML
Is a record display, OA1 to OA4 and OA are calling numbers,
ORG is a transmission button, Pr is a reference priority, PRI is a priority designation button, Ps1 to Ps4 are transmission priority, and RAK
Is a recovery confirmation signal, RLS is a recovery signal, S1 to S14 are steps, SD is an acoustic device, SN is a switching network, SND is a send button, SU is a call setting signal, T1 and T2 are telephone terminal devices, and TC is a transmission control unit. , TNG is a signal sound generator, TR
Indicates a handset UI, information between terminals.

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Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a structure in which a terminal device is connected to a switching network via an information channel and a signal channel, and terminal information between terminal devices via the signal channel is transmitted without change in the switching network, an incoming call is received. Priority selection means for selecting one from a plurality of priorities for selection, reference priority setting means for setting the selected priority as a reference priority, transmission priority included in terminal-to-terminal information when receiving a call Is received and compared with the reference priority, and if the transmission priority is equal to or higher than the reference priority,
When the ringing tone generator is activated to send out the ringing tone and the ringing signal is transmitted to the switching network, and the transmission priority is lower than the reference priority, the signaling tone generator is not activated and the restoration signal is sent to the switching network. A method for selecting an incoming call according to priority, characterized in that it has a priority comparison and detection means for sending to the terminal.